


Holiday Reverie

by Oblivion_Wanderer



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Hermann Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 10:17:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2769368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion_Wanderer/pseuds/Oblivion_Wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gottlieb reflects on fond holiday memories and receives a little help from Newt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holiday Reverie

**Author's Note:**

> Another Hermann Hoildays fic; #6 (I think). Sort of a sequel to 'Secret Baker'

Holidays were never easy on anyone in the Shatterdome. The two K-Scientists were no exception.

Gottlieb smiled to himself as he read an email from his sister Karla. He missed his siblings at times and wished he could visit them. Very rarely he had been able to, mostly because the war had kept him tethered to whatever Shatterdome he was stationed at. When holidays came around he would get emails and letters from them. That made him happy.

The physicist typed up a reply to Karla, apologizing once again for not being able to make it home for the holidays, and for not seeing her email sooner because of work. At least she, as well as Dietrich and Bastien, understood the reason why.

When he was done, he sent the email and leaned back in his chair, giving a sigh. He looked over to a corner of the lab where Newt had placed a fake tree and had decorated it with both traditional ornaments and his Kaiju ones.

(“This is K-Science, dude.” Newt had reasoned. “Why can't we have a tree with Kaiju on it? It fits!”)

Gottlieb remembered when he used to decorate the tree at home. Gottlieb would feel lucky that Father would allow them to have a tree in their home, and he would decorate it with his siblings. He remembered lifting Bastien up onto his shoulders so the younger could put an ornament onto the tree. How he did miss those times, which made him feel regret around this time of year when he could not return to see them.

Although he didn't miss the Christmas he spent in the hospital- the accident that damaged his leg.

Now a days, Gottlieb didn't do much for the holidays. He cooked for the Christmas dinner, but mostly worked through the holidays. His siblings would try and send something every now and again, though last year their packages hadn't arrived till almost New Years.

It would be the same old routine this year, as always. And with that thought, Gottlieb returned to his work.

At some point in those hours, he heard footsteps, but was too busy with work to bother finding out who it was. Someone then came up behind him and tapped his shoulder. He jumped and spun around in his chair to find it was Newt.

“Newton, please don't startle me like that.” He said, exasperated.

“Hey, I needed to snap you out of work somehow.” Newt replied. “I got you lunch.”

Newt set a tray down on Gottlieb's desk before he pulled up another chair so he could sit next to him. Newt explained he had grabbed a couple sandwiches for both himself and the other scientist.

“You're not planning on working again during the Christmas week, are you?” The biologist asked.

“Depends on if another Kaiju decides to attack or not.”

“That's a lie. We just had another attack last week.”

“Yes, but their movements- it's not like they would give notice to our holidays.”

Newt took a bite of his sandwich, speaking around a mouthful, “How can you work during this wonderful time of year?”

“If you haven't noticed,” Gottlieb said, narrowing his gaze. “I've been working on a predictive model that will better prepare us. Frankly, I have no time for this...”

Newt huffed. “You are seriously the Grinch personified.”

“You're the one who tried to pull 'A Christmas Carol' scenario on me the first year we transferred to Hong Kong.”

“Because you were being all grouchy.”

“Not to mentioned you spiked my eggnog last year with vodka.”

“In my defense I was drunk.”

“Never the less... My point is if my work demands it, then I will continue it.”

Newt looked at him, swallowing down a bite. He reached out, and Gottlieb flinched a little when the biologist laid a hand on his arm.

“Do me a favor- Don't work on Christmas.”

Gottlieb opened his mouth to speak, but sighed and looked downcast. “Newton...”

“Hey.” Newt int erupted. “I remember what you told me about your leg, and I know you can't visit your brothers and sister. I'll help make it good, okay?”

Despite how the other scientist constantly got on his nerves, Gottlieb couldn't help but feel just a bit thankful that Newt would- maybe, just maybe,- perhaps go out of his way to try and help.

“My older brother said I always made a fuss when I was a teenager and focusing on my studies during the holidays.” He said quietly. “He would drag me out of my room if he had to.”

Dietrich was so enthusiastic about having the physicist participate in holiday fun. One time he took the textbook he was reading, closed it, and picked up Gottlieb. His older brother put him over his shoulders and took him downstairs.

“I'd always help Karla with the dinner and making Christmas cookies.”

The first time she taught him to cook, he burnt half the batch of cookies. She just stood there and laughed, saying it was okay and that they could just make some more. The first time he cooked for dinner she said she was impressed.

“Bastein would always be the one to wake me up on the 25th.”

The year of the accident he remembers his younger brother arriving at the hospital early just to wake him up, having well made this a habit. The year he left, Bastien had called him to wish him a merry Christmas, and that he had gotten up early but forgot Gottlieb wasn't there this time. Ah, he always meant well.

“I can no longer find time to see them, especially over the holidays. When that became apparent, I did hardly little, holiday wise, when December came around. I simply accepted to continue with my research.”

“Yeah, my holidays haven't been the best ether without my father or uncle around, and don't get me started on my 'mother'” Newt agreed, emphasizing the air quotes around mention of his 'mother'. “I get it; we both miss family. But, we've got each other, you know? So what do you say- stop being a Grinch for once?”

“I'll try...” Was what he could manage, but with the ghost of a smile.

“Alright! We're gonna have the most rockin' Christmas ever!” The biologist exclaimed, making a fist pump motion in the air. “Are you gonna cook for the dinner again?”

“Of course.”

“Good, because I'm really looking forward to your cooking. And if you don't, I'm gonna go all 'Christmas Carol' on you again.”

“Please don't...” He trailed off for a moment, before meeting Newt's eyes again. “Did you ever have a year you considered a bad Christmas?”

“Yours obviously tops mine, but...” He fidgeted a little in his chair, as if embarrassed. “I got my tongue stuck to a pole.”

“Are you serious?”

“Completely.”


End file.
